The present disclosure relates generally to managing interference using an adjustable phased array antenna, and more particularly to systems and methods for locating the source of and mitigating the effects of interference using an adjustable phased array antenna.
Antenna arrays can be used to estimate the direction-of-arrival (DOA) of incoming signals employing one or more signal processing algorithms. These methods measure and process received signals to determine the direction-of-arrival information. In one class of approaches for geolocation, known as beamspace processing, the signal processing is formed after beamforming. Existing beamspace processing approaches are either noncoherent or coherent. In noncoherent geolocation one or two antenna beams point near but not directly at the direction of an interferer. This can be accomplished by a spiral scan or grid scan. A gain slope of the antenna pattern provides directional sensitivity. Coherent geolocation uses two or more antenna beams pointed in different directions. A phase difference between interferer signals received in the two antenna beams reveals one angle of arrival. Repeating this process for north-south and east-west separated beam centers reveals the complete direction of arrival from the interferer. Both of these approaches interrupt communication service in the beams employed. Noncoherent geolocation is relatively slow, requiring movement of the beam centers. Coherent geolocation is faster and more accurate than noncoherent geolocation but it still requires pre-emption (i.e., interruption) of communication service.
Given that known geolocation systems currently require dedication of one or more receiving antenna beam, thereby removing the beam or beams from communication service, a system that enables geolocation to be performed while allowing communication service to continue would be beneficial.